The Late Mail: Rabbitohs v Bulldogs
2 hours ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
The Cronulla Sharks have held off a second half fightback by the Penrith Panthers, to claim a 20-18 win in front of 14,273 fans at Southern Cross Group Stadium.
In a match filled with twists and turns, a missed conversion by Jamie Soward proved the difference, as the Sharks held on for their fifth straight win.
With both sides showing plenty of enthusiasm during the opening exchanges, Cronulla hooker Michael Ennis struck a major blow in the second minute, burrowing over from close range to post opening points for the home side.
While points were few and far between during the opening 40 minutes, the match was played at a frenetic pace, with both sides willing to pass the ball inside their own halves.
Injuries to Panthers duo Waqa Blake and Te Maire Martin saw the visitors reduced to 15 men, but the biggest hit of the afternoon came in the 33rd minute after former Penrith captain Luke Lewis flattened Matt Moylan in a ferocious tackle.
In the only other additions to the scoreboard, two penalty goals from James Maloney in the 16th and 36th minutes saw the Sharks establish an 8-0 lead at the break.
Needing to make a statement early in the second half, a fortuitous bounce favoured Penrith captain Matt Moylan, who crashed over in 45th minute.
With the momentum of the game shifting in favour of the visitors, versatile forward Isaah Yeo scored his first try of 2016 in the 52nd minute, giving the Panthers the lead for the first time in the match.
After surviving a scare from the Sharks which saw Chad Townsend denied a try through offside, wrecking ball James Fisher-Harris crashed over only moments later to extend the Panthers lead to 14-8 with 20 minutes remaining.
Just when the Panthers appeared to be on top, a break by Chad Townsend enable James Maloney to level the scores in the 65th minute, before a length of the field effort by Valentine Holmes saw the home side regain the lead heading into the dying stages.
As they have done all season, the Panthers showed tremendous resilience to respond just before fulltime, as Fisher-Harris finished off a tremendous attacking raid.
Needing to convert to send the game into extra time, Soward pushed the kick wide of the posts, allowing Cronulla to hold on in a tremendous contest.
Next week the Sharks host Brisbane on Sunday afternoon, while the Panthers head to Bathurst to tackle Canberra on Saturday.
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